The moment our Chinese shareholders took control of the football club, Mr Dai stated that one of his priorities was to invest in the development of our new training facility.

That investment is now beginning to blossom at Bearwood Park.

Guided by Chief Executive Nigel Howe, Phase One of the Bearwood project is reaching its conclusion…meaning the playing pitches will all be in place and ready to use very, very soon.

Bearwood Park will ultimately be home to a purpose-built first team building and a separate Academy facility as well as a number of various other ancillary buildings.

The development of the site has also involved extensive landscaping of the area and the refurbishment of a number of existing buildings.

Foundations are being laid and the infrastructure of the main buildings will start to become very visible in the coming weeks and months. But with Phase One nearing a natural end and groundstaff now on site every day to oversee the maintenance of the playing surfaces, it means football will soon be being played on green grass down at Bearwood!

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When investigating possible pre-World Cup training sites throughout Europe, the U.S. Women’s National Team coaching and administrative staff knew what boxes they wanted to check. It was then a matter of finding a facility that checked those boxes.

Sites were evaluated in France, Spain, Portugal, England and Italy. In the end, there was a consensus number-one choice from the coaches: “We want to go to Tottenham.”

The Tottenham Hotspur Training Centre in Enfield, England, looks amazing in photos. It’s even better when experienced in real life....

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Spanish firm Cruz y Ortiz Arquitectos have revealed the first concept images of their latest project – a 260,000 sq m football complex in Dalian, China.

The expansive campus will comprise 23 regulation-size pitches, a hotel, gardens, and a select number of short-stay residential units.

The US$297m (€264.7m, £235.8m) facility will also function as a training ground and academy for professional teams and youth clubs, including Dalian Yifang FC.

The ambitious project is being developed by Chinese conglomerate, Wanda Group, who acquired Dalian Yifang last year after the company sold its 17 per cent stake in Atletico Madrid.

In a statement, Wanda Group said the scheme would address the “lack of continuity in China’s football talent pipeline”.

“The number of youth players in Dalian is less than a tenth of what it was at its peak,” said the company. “The first thing we intend to do is build a youth training system, which shows that Wanda has identified the core factor to promote the revitalisation of football in Dalian.”

The first stage of the development is expected to be completed in December.

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That Dalian facility looks great but surely they're going to have a better junction for the car park? I wouldn't fancy turning out of there with the trees blocking the view of what could be fast moving traffic! Also is that really an 8-lane T-junction without traffic lights? I'm sure it will all be properly designed in the end but it does look weird.

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Watford FC has been refused permission to keep an inflatable dome up at its training ground all year round.

Hertsmere Borough Council has decided the 22m structure at the London Colney site is “harmful to the open character” of the green belt land.

In October last year, the Premier League club’s application for the dome was approved but under the condition it could only be inflated between October 1 and April 1, over the next five years.

Nine objections to the application were received. Neighbours have described the dome as an “eyesore”.

Arsenal FC, who train next door to Watford, objected to the dome describing it as “obtrusive” but wrote to say it would be “less adverse to it” if the Watford logo was removed and further trees were planted to screen it.

Watford has been using the facility as an indoor training centre over the winter months but also pointed to the “substantial and unprecedented” interest in the dome by community groups.

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Not sure that that’s the cleverest move on Arsenal’s part. If they are ever in need of planning permission for potential further work on their training ground, it’s now a given that Watford will object as a matter of principle.

Numerous objections to the dome are mentioned in the council’s report and it is stated how the common theme of these is that the structure is “an eyesore that spoils views over the Green Belt from as far afield as London Colney High Street”.

All of the responses that were received from neighbours and members of the public in the surrounding area were objections - except for Arsenal.

The Gunners are Watford’s training ground neighbours and were onboard with the Hornets keeping the dome inflated all year, although it is added in the report “they would be less averse to it if its logos were removed and if further trees were planted to screen it”.

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Not sure that that’s the cleverest move on Arsenal’s part. If they are ever in need of planning permission for potential further work on their training ground, it’s now a given that Watford will object as a matter of principle.

If the giant Watford badge is facing the Arsenal training ground then it doesn't serve any purpose other than annoying them. They don't want to see that every time they look up. It does seem to be above the service entrance. I think it is reasonable to request it removed. Objecting to any work at all would be a problem.

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